European Commission: EU leaders back second presidential term for Barroso

European CommissionEU leaders back second presidential term for Barroso

Veröffentlicht am 10.07.2009 | Lesedauer: 3 Minuten

Quelle: AP/Virginia Mayo

European Union leaders agreed on Thursday to nominate Jose Manuel Barroso officially for a second five-year term as European Commission president to put pressure on the European Parliament to approve him. Barroso, 53, is the only candidate, but requires the backing of the parliament as well as EU governments and will address the assembly next week.

The leaders had already given the conservative former Portuguese prime minister their unanimous political support but had until now stopped short of a legally binding endorsement.

EU leaders fear any delay in confirming Barroso could undermine him and the executive Commission, a powerful regulatory body, at a time when strong leadership is called for to steer Europe out of its worst economic crisis in decades.

"I am pleased that all member states have now formally agreed on the nomination of the Commission president," Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, whose country holds the EU's presidency for the next six months, said in a written statement.

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He said the decision would "ensure continuity of the Commission's important work during the autumn on climate change, the economic crisis, etc".

Barroso, 53, is the only candidate, but requires the backing of the parliament as well as EU governments and will address the assembly next week. His centre-right allies are the largest force in the parliament but do not have a majority.

OVERCOMING OPPOSITION

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Sweden has been leading efforts by the 27-nation bloc to secure Barroso's rapid re-appointment. But his foes have blocked a vote of approval in the assembly when it meets next week for the first time since last month's European Parliament election.

Barroso said he was ready to discuss his priorities with the parliament's political groups to remove any doubts they may have.

"The challenges we face -- from the economic and financial crisis to climate change and energy security -- call for a clear vision, a strong EU and a sustained cooperation between strong EU institutions," he said in a statement.

"I believe that I have the vision and the experience to lead the Commission as it tackles these challenges."

The opposition by Socialists, Greens, some Liberals and the far left means the vote is now not expected until mid-September, shortly before Ireland holds a referendum on the Lisbon treaty, which is intended to streamline decision-making.

Rejection of the treaty for the second time by the Irish would throw the EU into crisis.

The EU leaders' decision to give Barroso their formal backing could raise hopes in the Commission that his parliamentary foes might be persuaded to allow an approval vote to go ahead next week.

Barroso's current mandate, and that of the Commission, expires in November.

Critics say Barroso is too much in favour of free trade and free markets and that he responded slowly to the economic crisis, which has pushed up unemployment, caused street protests and contributed to the fall of governments in some countries.

They say he is not an inspirational leader, lacks a clear and ambitious programme and that Europeans want a change after a record-low turnout in the European Parliament election in June.

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Supporters say he stands for continuity and stability and any further delay could set back EU efforts to overhaul financial regulation and bank supervision to prevent any repeat of the global financial crisis.

His opponents have been flexing their muscles partly to win concessions from the centre right on who controls the main parliamentary committees, up for grabs after the June election.

A spectacular tumble in the Prague government has left Brussels perplexed. EU leader Mirek Topolanek lost a vote of no confidence on Wednesday, sending telephone lines running hot throughout Europe. Rumours that either France of Sweden could take over the Czech’s EU-presidency are already circulating.

The introduction of the euro a decade ago may be the most successful product to date of European integration. Now used by sixteen countries -with the addition of Slovakia on Jan. 1- and 325 million people, the users and guardians of the euro have reason for optimism for a stable currency over the next ten years.

Russia and Ukraine failed to resolve a gas row at a meeting in Moscow but will continue talks to end the dispute which has choked off supplies to Europe. "We are in negotiations," Ukraine’s Naftogaz chief Oleh Dubyna told the European parliament after an overnight meeting with Alexei Miller, head of Russia’s state-controlled gas monopoly Gazprom.

European Union leaders will approve new rules to tighten bank supervision at a two-day summit which starts on Thursday and is intended to show the bloc has the economic crisis under control. The leaders will support conservative Jose Manuel Barroso’s bid for a second five-year term as president of the European Commission, providing some continuity in difficult times.